Turkey & Brown Rice Soup
Here at the Fricke Farmhouse, we’ve had some blustery, dreary weather lately. These chilly days are best for staying cozy inside and what better way to do that than with a hot bowl of Turkey & Brown Rice Soup. This hearty dish is full of whole grains, veggies, and if you eat meat, free-range turkey. It will surely warm you from the inside out!
Ingredients for Turkey & Brown Rice Soup
Here’s a list of everything you’ll need to make this Turkey & Brown Rice Soup:
- Brown rice
- Water
- Apple cider vinegar
- Olive oil
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic
- Ginger root
- Carrots
- Celery
- Veggie or turkey broth
- Fresh thyme
- Bay leaf
- Dried rosemary
- Shredded turkey
- Celtic sea salt and pepper
How to Make Turkey & Brown Rice Soup
Four to six hours before making the soup, place the rice in a bowl with 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Stir and cover with a tea towel until you are ready to make the soup. The soak can start up to 12 hours before cooking if that is better for your schedule.
Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a large stock pot. Then add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and ginger. Stirring frequently, cook until the veggies begin to soften the the onion turns translucent–about 5-10 minutes. Then add the thyme, bay leaf, and rosemary. Continue to sauté for another two minutes.
Next, add the broth and Celtic sea salt and bring to a boil. Drain the rice and add it to the stock pot. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the rice is al dente. Add the turkey and continue cooking until it is heated through and the rice is fully cooked. Add freshly cracked pepper and adjust salt if need be. Enjoy!
Choosing High Quality Meat
Whenever cooking with meat, it’s best to choose the highest quality available within budget. Grass-fed, pasture-raised, and free-range are all great, but there isn’t as much regulation on these terms as their should be. It’s hard to know for sure what kind of lives the animals had when “free-range” isn’t synonymous with “outside”. Organic meat has more animal welfare standards in place, but there are plenty of factory farms that barely meet the cutoff for the organic label. My best advice when choosing meat is to know your farmer or do some research into the brand you choose to make sure it’s ethically raised. After all, healthy animals translate into healthy, nutrient dense food.
For this recipe, I chose turkey from Ferndale Market in Minnesota. Though it is not an organic farm, the turkeys are truly free range and are raised without antibiotics. I appreciate the transparency in their processes and their commitment to taking care of their birds.
Recipe Modifications
There are several ways to modify to this Turkey & Brown Rice Soup. First, chicken can easily be swapped for turkey meat. You can use any leftover poultry (such as a rotisserie chicken) and shred it up to add to the soup. Alternatively, if you’re a vegetarian or vegan, the meat can be omitted altogether to make a veggie and rice soup. In this case, you may consider adding some other veggies to make it more substantial.
If you don’t have leftover turkey to use, take 1 lb of turkey breast tenders and soak them in warm salt water for 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat the turkey dry and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake until internal temperature is at least 165. Then shred it and add it to the soup.
Soaking the Rice
A somewhat unusual step in this Turkey & Brown Rice Soup recipe is presoaking the rice with water an apple cider vinegar. This is something I like to do anytime I cook whole grains or dried legumes (as long as I plan ahead). The acidic soak helps to break down antinutrients, making the nutrients more bioavailable and helps aid in digestion. However, this step is totally optional. If you’re in a hurry to get a quick, healthy dinner on the table, go right ahead and add the rice dry. It may just take a few more minutes to fully cook the rice.
I hope you enjoy this Turkey & Brown Rice Soup! I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below and be sure to share any photos of your creations on Instagram, tagging @roots_and_rosemary 🙂
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